Transport Bill brings Great British Railways a step closer

Creation of the new Great British Railways public body drew a step nearer on May 10, after a Transport Bill was included as one of 38 new laws in the Queen’s Speech.

Read on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen by the Prince of Wales, the speech set out the Government’s legislative agenda for the next Parliamentary year.

The Transport Bill is required to provide a statutory basis for GBR and to transfer franchising authority from the Department for Transport.

The timing of the announcement will give hope that the Bill can complete all legislative stages and receive Royal Assent before Parliament is dissolved ahead of the next General Election (due before December 2024).

Speaking at the NRRC, six days ahead of the Queen’s Speech, Lead Director for the GBR Transition Team Anit Chandarana (pictured) pointed to growing evidence that progress is already being made by the GBRTT regardless of the passage of legislation (which is outside its control).

This includes completion of the consultation stage for the 30-year Whole Industry Strategic Plan (WISP).

Other examples cited by Chandarana included the launch of the second phase of the Let’s Get Back On Track television advertising campaign, which “delivered good recognition among passengers”.

He also highlighted the recent Great British Rail Sale, which was designed to encourage rail users to book advance tickets through a seat sale that promised 500,000 half-price tickets. He revealed that data gathered over the first nine days of activity after tickets went on sale on April 19 showed the initiative had brought in £7.5 million in additional revenue, with £1.7m recorded on the first day alone. These figures were “broadly within our expectations”, he said.

“This [GBR] will be the biggest change to the railways in 30 years since the privatisation of the industry,” said Chandarana.

“The GBRTT has two broad roles: to design the operating model and stand up GBR for day one, and to bring the industry together to deliver meaningful change sooner.

“Over the winter, we were out talking to the industry at large for the WISP. We spoke to 420 organisations, held 30 stakeholder forums, two supply chain events, a ministerial roundtable, plus a Call for Evidence.

“Since that time, we have been analysing what we heard and the

submissions we received, and in the coming weeks we will be publishing a summary of themes. We will then be working to submit a draft strategy to government by the end of the year.”

Meanwhile, GBRTT Programme Director for Passenger & Freight Services Rufus Boyd told delegates that he was aware of the public perception that the transition to GBR was moving too slowly.

In a bid to allay those fears, he argued that the impending transfer of functions from the RDG to the GBRTT (see separate story) represented a further sign of tangible progress.

“I read somewhere that when Tesco did their Clubcard pilot, the team were told they had three months for a national rollout. If that is true, then we really should be thinking like that too,” he said.

“But totemic things like RDG becoming Rail Partners makes a difference as well. These tangible moments of change are starting to build up, and I think that will help to bring the sector together.”